Cable carrier for additive manufacturing system

Abstract

Systems and methods for supporting a plurality of cables of an additive manufacturing system. A cable carrier having first and second ends may be configured to support the plurality of cables within a channel of the cable carrier. The cable carrier may be pivotably supported via a first and second coupling engageable with the first and second ends, respectively. The first and second couplings may be attached to first and second components of an additive manufacturing system, respectively. The couplings may be configured to permit rotation of the first and second ends of the cable carrier in response to movement of the second end and/or the second component in a direction transverse to a plane in which the cable carrier lies.

1 . An assembly configured for use in supporting a plurality of power and/or communication cables in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
 an elongated cable carrier configured to support the plurality of cables, the cable carrier having a first end and a second end;   a fixed component including a first coupling engaged with the first end of the cable carrier; and   a free component including a second coupling engaged the second end of the cable carrier;   wherein the free component is configured to move in an x-axis direction and a y-axis direction relative to the fixed component, and wherein the first and second couplings are configured to permit rotation of the first and second ends of the cable carrier relative to the fixed component and the free component, respectively, in response to the free component being moved in the y-axis direction.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second couplings each include a rotary bearing. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the rotary bearings are crossed roller bearings. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the free component includes an optics unit comprising a laser array configured to melt metal powder in an additive manufacturing process. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed component includes a rigid frame on which the first coupling is mounted. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cable carrier is configured to permit free movement of the first and second ends relative to each other within a plane in which the cable carrier lies and is configured to resist movement of the first and second ends relative to each other out of the plane. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the cable carrier is oriented such that the plane is parallel to the x-axis direction and is transverse to the y-axis direction. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the cable carrier is configured such that the plane moves with movement of the free component in the y-axis direction. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cable carrier includes a plurality of links coupled to each other between the first and second ends. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of links are coupled to permit only relative rotation of the adjacent ones of the plurality of links about a single axis, and to resist other relative movement of the adjacent ones of the plurality of links. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of links define a channel in which the plurality of cables are supported, and wherein the first and second couplings each define a pathway that communicates with and is approximately the same size as the channel. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the cable carrier extends along a non-linear path in the plane. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein links at the first and second ends of the cable carrier are fixed to the first and second couplings, respectively. 
     
     
         13 . An assembly configured for use in supporting a plurality of power and/or communication cables in an additive manufacturing system, the assembly comprising:
 an elongated cable carrier extending between first and second ends and configured to support the plurality of cables between the first and second ends, the cable carrier being configured to permit free movement of the first and second ends relative to each other within a plane in which the cable carrier lies and being configured to resist movement of the first and second ends relative to each other out of the plane;   a first coupling engaged with the first end of the cable carrier, the first coupling being configured to permit rotation of the first end about a first axis that is parallel to the plane; and   a second coupling engaged with the second end of the cable carrier, the second coupling being configured to permit rotation of the second end about a second axis that is parallel to the plane.   
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second couplings and the cable carrier are configured to permit movement of the second coupling relative to the first coupling along x, y, and z-axis directions. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second couplings and the cable carrier are configured such that the plane pivots about an axis parallel to the x-axis direction in response to movement of the second coupling in the y-axis direction. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second couplings and the cable carrier are configured such that the plane is parallel to the x-axis direction and is transverse to the y-axis direction. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the cable carrier extends along a non-linear path in the plane. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the cable carrier includes a plurality of links coupled to each other between the first and second ends. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein adjacent ones of the plurality of links are coupled to permit only relative rotation of the adjacent ones of the plurality of links about a single axis, and to resist other relative movement of the adjacent ones of the plurality of links. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of links define a channel in which the plurality of cables are supported. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second couplings each define a pathway that communicates with and is approximately the same size as the channel. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein links at the first and second ends of the cable carrier are fixed to the first and second couplings, respectively. 
     
     
         23 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first coupling is attached to a first component of an additive manufacturing system, and the second coupling is attached to a second component of the additive manufacturing system, the second component being movable relative to the first component. 
     
     
         24 . The assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the second component includes an optics unit comprising a laser array configured to melt metal powder in an additive manufacturing process. 
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the second component is movable relative to the first component in an x-axis direction that is parallel to the plane, and in a y-axis direction that is perpendicular to the x-axis direction. 
     
     
         26 . The assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the first component includes a rigid frame on which the first coupling is mounted. 
     
     
         27 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second couplings each include rotary bearings. 
     
     
         28 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the rotary bearings are crossed roller bearings. 
     
     
         29 . A method of supporting a plurality of cables, the method comprising:
 providing a cable carrier having first and second ends, the cable carrier configured to permit free movement of the first and second ends relative to each other within a plane in which the cable carrier lies and configured to resist movement of the first and second ends relative to each other out of the plane;   moving the second end relative to the first end in a direction transverse to the plane; and   pivotably supporting the first end and the second end for rotation about parallel axes in response to movement of the second end in the direction transverse to the plane.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising engaging the first and second ends with first and second components, respectively, of an additive manufacturing system. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising moving the second component relative to the first component in the direction transverse to the plane to cause the movement of the second end relative to the first end in the direction transverse to the plane. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein moving the second component relative to the first component in the direction transverse to the plane causes the first end and the second end to rotate about the parallel axes. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the parallel axes are parallel to the plane. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising supporting the plurality of cables in a channel of the cable carrier. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 providing the first and second ends attached to first and second components, respectively, of an additive manufacturing system;   wherein moving the second end relative to the first end includes moving the second component relative to the first component in a direction transverse to the plane; and   wherein pivotably supporting the first end and the second end includes pivoting the first end and the second of the cable carrier relative to the first and second components, respectively, in response to movement of the second component in the direction transverse to the plane.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein moving the second end relative to the first end includes pivoting a link of the cable carrier relative to an adjacent link of the cable carrier. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein moving the second end relative to the first end includes moving an optics unit of an additive manufacturing system that is attached to the second end relative to a build surface. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein moving the optics unit includes providing laser energy via the plurality of cables to the optics unit. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprising:
 directing the laser energy from the optics unit to a precursor material disposed on a build surface of the additive manufacturing system; and   selectively fusing the precursor material using the laser energy to form one or more parts on the build surface.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising moving the optics unit in a direction parallel to the plane relative to the build surface. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first end is fixed relative to the build surface. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein pivotably supporting the first end and the second end includes pivoting a first portion of a first coupling that is attached to the first end relative to a second portion of the first coupling, and pivoting a first portion of a second coupling that is attached to the second end relative to a second portion of the second coupling in response to movement of the second end relative to the first end in the direction transverse to the plane. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein moving the second end relative to the first end includes pivoting the plane about one of the parallel axes. 
     
     
         44 . A part manufactured using the method of  claim 29 .